Movies
December 2008
Art
The Dark Knight is out on video and available—if you’re up for a bit of a wait—at your local library. But you probably don’t need me to tell you that just like you don’t need me to tell you about the film, either. After all, how many millions of people have paid nearly $1 billion worldwide to watch it, and how much press has Heath Ledger’s star turn as the Joker received, especially after his unfortunate death? No, chances are you know more about this movie than I do.
I saw it on the big screen and was happily overwhelmed by its unchecked wildness and breakneck pace, and I was surprised, too, by how many different genres it touched upon and included. The AllMovie Guide describes it as a crime, a crime drama, a fantasy and a superhero film. I’d say it’s part straight-out drama and a romance, too, but what surprised me the most was when it became an art film as well. It happened during that startlingly strange moment when the Joker, dressed in a nurse uniform, stands in front of an exploding hospital complex. Tell me that image didn’t send weird chills running up and down your spine.
Now, when I say art film I’m talking about the short films that artists make, the kind of works that art museums like the Museum of Modern Art in New York City collect. You know what I’m talking about if you’ve ever seen a Devo or Residents or even an early David Bowie music video where a song is combined with evocative, largely non-narrative images. In fact, MOMA has at least one video by each of those musicians in its collection. But even more to the point are works like those of Swiss artist, Pipilotti Rist, who’s working primarily for the art crowd.
She has a giant installation at MOMA right now, but the film that The Dark Knight brought to mind was Ever Is Over All which I saw at MOMA last summer. The work combines beautiful color and movement with unexpected violence. MOMA has a nice article about it. I’d embed a recording of it here except that I’m not certain where that would stand within copyright law so, instead, I’ll just say that a search on Google using the terms “pipilotti rist ever is over all” will allow you to see it.
And when you’ve done that, I invite you to watch The Dark Knight again with one more idea about how complex and unexpectedly varied this movie is.
Wil Gregersen
Community Services Librarian
